Separable fastener



April 24, 1934- GAA. HOLMES 1,956,029

SEPARABLE FASTENER Filed Jan. 15, 1932 Patented Apr. 24, 1934' v l NIT'ED STATES PATENT OFFICE SEPARABLE FASTENER George A. Holmes, Newton, Mass., assignor 'to United-Carr Fastener Corporation, Cambridge, Mass., a corporation of Massachusetts Application January 15, 1932, Serial No. 586,876

6 Claims. (Cl. 24221) This invention relates to separable fasteners of half-round wire bent centrally to form the and the object is to provide an improved device head 19 with the shoulders 21 and preferably of this class which, while not limited thereto, formed with the co-planar inner shoulders 23 finds a particularly advantageous application to from which the two portions of the wire extend in the fastening of the cowling of airplanes. face to face relation, as seen in Fig. 5, to form My invention will be well understood from the a. shank 25`swivelling in the part 13. The edges of following description of an illustrative embodithe wire may be slabbed off, as shown on the sides ment thereof in a fastener of the turnbutton type of head 19. The button memberis normally reas shown in the accompanying drawing, wheretracted by a spring, preferably the helical conical l0 ing.- spring 27 herein illustrated interposed between Fig. l is a plan of two plates secured together part 13 and a suitable washer 29 surrounding by the fastener, the parts of the fastener being shank 25 and held in position thereon by the shown released or unlocked but not separated; cotter pin 31.

Fig. 2 is a section on the line 2-2 of Fig. l; The part 13 is preferably formed about the 15 Fig. 3 is a section on the line 3-3 of Fig. 1` but point of attachment of the button thereto with a 70 showing parts of the fastener locked; pressed-up boss 33 adapted, as best seen in Fig. 2,

Fig. 4 is a section through one of the plates to fit up into the eyelet opening in the bottom of and the element of the fastener carried thereby the cup 15. This boss may be cut away to proon the line 4-4 of Fig. 1 and showing said elevide an opening 35 transverse to the eyelet openment only partly secured; and ing and of such a size as to pass or be spanned 75 Fig. 5 is a section on the line 5-5 of Fig. 3. by the inner shoulders 23 depending upon the Referring to the drawing, I have there shown angular postion of the button. In one position two plates '7 and 9 secured together by means of the head is retracted by the spring to the position a fastener of the turnbutton type embodying an ofFig. 3 so that the shoulders 21 engage the boteyelet 11 and a part 13 which usually, as shown, tom of the cup .15 and hold the parts of the fas- 80 will be separate members secured to the plates. tener securely together. In formingl opening 35 Herein I have shown these parts as secured to the side walls of boss 33 preferably are cut away the relatively remote faces of the two plates as so that shoulders 21 may be drawn into these cutthey lie one over the other and in alignment with away portions, as indicated in Fig. 3, and the insuitable apertures therein, which apertures proner or secondary head formed by shoulders 23 is 85 vide for the interengagement of the two parts received within the space providedby the conical of the fastenenand for access thereto for. maspring. In this position head 19 is locked against4 npulation of the same. Herein the eyelet 11 rotation until retracted against the force of takes the form of a cup-shaped member 15 havspring 27. In the latter position above referred 35 ing a ange 17 adapted to overlie the face of to, the head 19 is in alignment with the larger 90 plate .7 and be secured thereto, thebody of the dimension of .the opening in the bottom of the cup extending through the aperture in plate 7 eyelet thereby permitting the eyelet to be withand being adapted to extend into and fit snugly drawn over the head. In this position the boss into the opening in the plate 9 so that lateral 33 engages under shoulders 23 and supports the 4o movement of the two plates is resisted by the same in the relatively elevated position shown in 95 body of the cup independently of the engagement Fig. 2. As best seen in Fig. 3, the boss may be of the same by the cooperating fastener element. provided with an angle-sided groove 37 trans- The bottom of the cup is formed as oneelement verse to opening 35. Thus the shoulders 21, beof a separable fastener adapted to be joined to cause of the angled sides of the groove, tend to a cooperating element carried by the part 13 ride into the proper position under the pull of 10o secured at the further side of the plate 9. the spring shown in Fig. 3 even if turned only ap- The fastener herein shown is of the turnbutton proximately to that position. type and thus the bottom of the cup is formed as In the arrangement described it will be noted an eyelet with the oblate opening adapted alterthat in the locked position of the parts, as seen natively to be spanned by or to pass the button" in Fig. 3, the head is to a substantial degree re- 105 head 19 according to whether it is turned to the ceived within the hollow of the cup 15 out of position of Fig. 3 transversely of the longer diharms way and where it will offer little wind remension of the opening or to the position'of Figs. sistance, a point of advantage in airplane work,

1 and 2 in alignment therewith. 'The button whereas in the released position it is elevated so member may Conveniently be formed 0f a length as to be readily noticeable and thus signal to the 110 l,casual observer that the parts of the fastener are not locked together., V

The elements of the fastener may most conveniently be secured to the plates 7 and 9 in the 6 manner illustrated in the case of the eyelet member 11 and the plate-7 in Fig. 4. I have therein shown the flange 17 of the eyelet member as struck up at intervals thereabout to form the hollow cups 39 which may pass through suitable openings in the plate'l, as illustrated at the left in Fig. 4, and `beheaded or riveted over, as shown at the right in that figure. This provides a simple and secure method of attachment without the need of utilizing separate fastening mem l5 bers. The part 13, while not being illustrated as such,.is intended to be secured to the plate 9 .in the same manner as the eyelet member 1l is secured to the plate 7 and in each case the headedover parts of theseintegral hollow rivets 'are sub- 20 stantially flush with the surface of the plate and they do not leave any through openings in themselves and close up the holes in the plate 7.

The boss 33 is of such shape that it coordinates with the wall of the opening in the bottom of the cup 15 to prevent relative rotation of the parts 7 and 9. The boss 33 is about flush with the surface of the bottom of the cup 15 and does not project into the cup. Thus the surface at the bottom of the cup remains smooth and free from projections which would interfere with the rotation of the button by engagement with the shoulders 21.

I am aware that the invention may be embodied in other specic forms without departing from the spirit or essential attributes thereof, and I therefore desire the present embodiment to be considered in all respects as illustrative and not restrictive; reference being had to .the appended claims rather ,than to the foregoing description to indicateA the scope of the invention.

I claim:

1. In combination with a pair of apertured plates, a fastener of the turnbutton type comprisplates, one of said elements having a portion about equal to the thickness of the combined plates and extending through and fitting b oth one plate in alignment with the aperture thereinapertures and a turnbut'ton carried by one of said elements and adapted to pass throughv an aperture the other of' said elements in one position of the turnbutton and to engage that element in another position of the turnbutton to secure the parts together.

3. A fastener of the turnbutton type compris- `ing a cup-shaped eyelet having an oblate opening invits bottom, a cooperating member comprising a part having a smaller oblate opening, a

. spring-retracted button carried by said part having an outer end shaped and arranged to pass or span the opening in the eyelet in diierent predetermined positions of angular adjustment and an inner head shaped and arranged to span or pass the opening in said button carrying part in said respective positions, and said button being of such dimensions that when the fastener is engaged said outer head is substantially received in -said cup and when it is released it projects noticeably therefrom.

4. In combination with a pair of apertured plates, fastening means thereforv of the turnbutton type comprising a cup-shaped eyelet carried by one plate in alignment with the aperture therein and fitting into the aperture in the other plate, said eyelet having an oblate opening in its bottom, a part carried at the further side of the other .plate having a boss fitting said oblate opening and a spring-retracted button mounted on said boss.

5. In combination with a pair "of apertured plates, fastening means therefor of lthe turn button type comprising a cup-shaped eyelet carried by one plate in alignment with the aperture therein and fitting into the aperture in the other plate, said eyelet having an oblate opening in its bottom, a part carried at the further side of the other plate having a boss fitting said oblate opening and a 'spring-retracted button mounted 115 lon said boss, the boss being recessed to position the button.

6. In combination with a pair of apertured plates, fastening means therefor of the tiu'nbutton type comprising a cup-shaped eyelet car- 120 ried by one plate in alignment with the aperture therein and fitting into the aperture in the other plate, said eyelet having an oblate opening in its bottom, a part carried at the further side of the other plate having a boss fitting said oblate open- 4ing and a spring-retracted button mounted on button.

. GEORGE A. HOLMES. 

